clinging to its back.

Mrs. Hopkins, her hair all flying, rushed after him making the echoes ring with her screams. Pete bewildered, did not know which way to run; the two hired men and several neighbors joined in the chase.

Finally piggie plunged into a little creek by the roadside and Bo was dismounted. He got a thorough ducking and a few bruises, but received no serious injury.

Mrs. Hopkins carried the child into the house, and having changed his clothes made Pete hitch up the buggy, for, as she said: "I'll take the little imp to his mother, and tell her never to let him show his nose on my place again.

"As for you, Pete Hopkins, if ever I ketch you bringing any child on these premises, you'll be sore for a month."

When Mrs. Allen had written her letter she called Bolax, not finding him on the lawn, she went into the kitchen, supposing Hetty, the cook, was entertaining him, for she often had the children in roars of laughter, with her funny stories about "Brer Rabbit" and the "Pickaninys down Souf."

But Hetty "hadn't laid an eye on dat boy since breakfus."

Mrs. Allen waited a while longer, then became quite uneasy.

Going to the gate she looked up and down the road.

Miss Beldon saw her and asked if she was looking for Bolax. "Yes," said Mrs. Allen, "he has been missing for two hours and I am very much worried about him."

"Well, I saw him get into a wagon right at your gate," said Miss Beldon. Poor Mrs. Allen began to think of Charlie Ross, and every other kidnapping story she had ever heard of. Aunt Lucy and Amy shared her anxiety.

Pat went into the woods to look for him and Hetty took the road to the village, thinking he might be found in that direction.

Mrs. Allen went to her refuge in all trouble, the Oratory.

There she knelt and implored the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph to help her find her darling boy; she felt sure the Divine Mother would sympathize with her, in remembrance of the anxiety she had suffered when the Holy Child was lost for three days.

It was nearly noon when Mrs. Hopkins' buggy stopped at the gate. Miss Beldon and Aunt Lucy were overjoyed on seeing the child, Amy ran down the path to meet him, calling back to Mamma that Bolax had been found.

Mrs. Allen, being a very nervous person became hysterical on hearing the good news. Aunt Lucy took the boy in her arms, and the usually happy little face assumed a grave expression when he saw his mother seated on the piazza with her handkerchief to her eyes.

Mrs. Hopkins told the whole story of the wild ride and begged the ladies never to trust children with her "Pete," for she said: "I must tell you he ain't got the sense of a kitten and he is no more use than a last year's bird's nest with the bottom knocked out."

When Bo saw the state his mother was in, he realized how naughty he had been to leave home without permission. "Dear Ma," said he, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stay away. Pete took me by mistake, and I didn't know I was staying so long."

Mrs. Allen said not a word of reproof to the child, but taking his hand, led him quietly upstairs to the Oratory, and left him. Bo felt his mother's silence more keenly than if she had given him a long lecture.

Calling her sister, Mrs. Allen said: "Lucy go to that child, he is in the Oratory. When he comes out, put him to bed. I must keep away from him while I am so excited and nervous; I will wait until I shall have become calm, to reprimand him."

Aunt Lucy went to the door to peep in at Bo; this is the prayer she heard him say: "Dear little Jesus and Holy Mother, I'm sorry I frightened my darling mamma. I didn't know I was away such a long time, but it was such fun, dear Jesus, you would laugh yourself if you had seen me on that pig."

Aunt Lucy ran away from the door, trying to smother her laughter, and going to her sister's room told what she had heard.

"Now, sister," she begged, "do forgive our boy this time, there is no guile in the little soul, and the way he speaks to Our Lord is so sweet, I cannot have the heart to scold him."

"That is all very well, Lucy, but I fear if I trusted him to you always, he would be a very spoiled child."

Here a little voice was heard begging mamma to come and see how sorry her boy was.

Mrs. Allen let the little delinquent off with a mild reproof, and two hours in bed, which he needed as a rest after his wonderful exertions of the morning.

Little Amy begged Mamma to allow her to remain with Brother and offered to tell him a story, but he preferred having her recite a new piece she had just learned.

CORINNE'S MUSICALE.

By Margaret Sidney.

"Wasn't she a naughty girl," said Bo, "I wouldn't do that. I never touch Aunt Lucy's banjo—only sometimes—but I don't break it."

CHAPTER III.